Safe in His Arms
by nessabutterfly
Summary: Sailor Moon is injured in battle. Tuxedo Kamen whisks her away to recieve medical treatment, but she is shocked to wake up in Mamoru's living room, while he doctor's her wounds.


"Sailor Moon, you're bleeding!" came a shrieking voice as the tiny blond soldier dragged herself up on to the beach after a long youma attack. The sneaky monster had lured them to the end of a long pier, but while Sailor Moon's attack had finally found it's mark, the blast from her wand had sent the girls reeling into the dark water below.

"It's nothing, Venus," assured the soldier of the moon casually, but when she gestured and looked down at her leg, she was stunned by the deep gash and steady stream of blood. Overcome by the sight of the blood, her vision clouded and she sank to the sand.

Tuxedo Kamen, who had been standing off to the side, reached her just as she fell and caught her up gently in his arms. The four senshi ran towards their friend, but Tuxedo Kamen was quick to wave them off. Sailor Mercury persisted in trying to aid her friend, but the masked hero leaped quickly out of their reach. He removed his cape and carefully wrapped the girl in the dry fabric before facing her friends again. "I'll see to her wounds and get her home safely. It's cold tonight so you girls should head straight home and get dry."

They still didn't know much about Tuxedo Kamen, yet the four girls had no choice but to accept his offer as they stood huddled and shivering on the beach, watching him leap quickly into the distance, carrying off their friend and leader.

Just minutes later, Tuxedo mask leaped the three stories to his apartment balcony where he quickly slipped inside and lay his burden softly on his couch. Moments later he was once again wearing his favourite green jacket, savouring it's warmth after the cold ocean breeze. He ran to his bathroom to retrieve his well-stocked first aid kit, then carefully opened the cape to examine Sailor Moon's leg.

He was surprised to see that the wound was still bleeding freely and heavily. It would require a lot more than a bandage, but first he needed to clean the leg and see what the damage was. He carefully removed her tall boots and set them to the side, then wet a small gauze pad with hydrogen peroxide and held it to the cut. Sailor Moon gasped loudly as the stinging pain of the antiseptic brought her back to consciousness. Her eyes grew wide when she saw who was tending her wounds.

"Mamoru! How did I get here? And with you?" she screamed, moving to stand, but falling weakly back to the couch when pain overcame her senses.

"Tuxedo Kamen brought you here. He knows I'm in medical school and he didn't know where else to take you. You'll be safe here. He said he'd be back to take you home in a little while." Mamoru hoped that Sailor Moon didn't notice the deep flush his face had taken on from the half-truth he had told. He hated to lie to her.

But Sailor Moon was too caught up in the fact that her dearest love, Tuxedo Kamen was friends with her worst enemy. Okay, maybe enemy was too strong of a term, but she was less than happy to be in Mamoru's living room, being cared for by his strong, capable hands. Shocked at the turn of her thoughts, she quickly forced her eyes to the gaping wound in her upper thigh and was brought back to reality-- she was injured, badly, and Mamoru had the skills to patch her up.

Trying to keep the focus on the reason for her visit, she asked casually what might have caused such a deep gash. "Judging by where you fell, it was likely coral. There's a large reef at the base of the pier. It's a miracle none of the other girls were hurt." Mamoru looked up to see Sailor Moon staring at him in disbelief, her mouth hanging open. "Er, at least, that's what Tuxedo Kamen told me. When he dropped you off. Thought I should know. You know, in case it was important. And it is. It's a deep cut and we'll have to watch out for coral poisoning." He finally trailed off and looked dumbly at the stunned girl.

"Coral poisoning?" she asked numbly, forgetting the suspiciousness of his earlier remarks.

The soldier's strong facade melted away and was replaced by a look of fear that tugged at Mamoru's memory. He had the sudden feeling that he knew this girl, and not just as the clumsy warrior he assisted in battling evil beasts.

"It'll be alright, Sailor Moon," he assured, her weak smile tugging at his heart. "As long as I get the wound cleaned out properly, it should be fine." He flushed the wound again with peroxide and hated himself for it as the sharp sting brought tears to her eyes. He worked quickly, trying to minimize her pain, but also being thorough so that she might not have to endure the painful infection that so often came with coral injuries. The cut should really have stitches, but he didn't have the right supplies. He carefully pulled the cut together and placed a few butterfly closures across the worst areas.

"Can you stand?" Sailor Moon was surprised to see Mamoru standing in front of her, offering his hand. She had gotten caught up in the feel of his hands on her leg and was thinking that he might not be so bad after all. "Can you stand?" he asked again, helping her to her feet this time. "I've got the wound cleaned out, but before I bandage you up, we really need to get the rest of the blood and sand off of you."

Sailor Moon let him pull her to her feet, but when she tried to put her weight on her injured leg, she crumpled, falling into Mamoru's arms. Without hesitation, he swept her up and carried her into the bathroom. "I only have a shower," he apologized, standing her against the wall. "But if you hold onto the ledge there, you should be all right." He stepped out of the bathroom quickly leaving the door open. Sailor Moon was unsure of what she was supposed to do, but he returned quickly with a large fluffy towel, a tank top, and a pair of drawstring shorts. "Be careful not to pop those closures," he reminded as he shut the door with a click.

Sailor Moon stood in the small shower stall and pondered her situation. If she showered and put on his clothes, he would know her identity. But if she didn't get the wound cleaned out properly, she might get coral poisoning. Accidentally leaning on her bad leg, she grimaced with pain. The injury was bad enough without adding infection to it. And while she didn't care for him, she had to admit that Mamoru knew his stuff when it came to medicine. She had seen his marks on those test papers he liked to gloat over at the Crown. If only Tuxedo Mask had taken her somewhere else. Sometimes he could be as bad as... Mamoru.

She quickly snapped the water on and leaned her face into the spray in hopes of washing away the thought. Imagine, Tuxedo Mask as Mamoru. The idea was laughable. And yet, the more she tried to get the thought out of her mind, the more it made sense.

Finally, she opened her eyes and applied herself to the task at hand. Her fuku was rinsed free of sand and blood, but when she tugged at the fabric, it wouldn't budge. She had forgotten how difficult it was to remove the suit since she usually just deactivated her transformation. Trying again, she was able to slip her fingers under the edge of the neckline and peel the fabric away from her body. The wet suit clung to her body and made it even harder to remove than usual, but she finally succeeded in breaking free from the waterlogged fuku. Squeezing out the excess water, she hung it over the edge of the shower door and carefully supported her body with the ledge while she turned around. She unsnapped her odango sheilds and uncoiled her hair, letting it fall loosely down her back. She saw a bottle of shampoo and began to lather her hair. As the scent of cucumber surrounded her, she was overcome with feelings of warmth. She remembered thinking how fresh and clean Mamoru always smelled when he leaned over to tease her at the Crown.

When the last bubbles floated down the drain, Usagi turned off the water and reached out for the towel, wrapping herself up in it's warmth. It was a strange feeling to transition so slowly from Sailor Moon back to Usagi. She dressed slowly, fearing what would come when she left the bathroom. Tying Mamoru's running shorts around her tiny waist, she laughed at the effect. They were short enough, but the fabric was gathered nearly double around her slim frame. The bright tank she pulled over her head fell to nearly the hem of the shorts. She took a few halting steps towards the mirror; her leg still hurt, but at least she could put her weight on it again.

"Sailor Moon, are you all right in there?" came Mamoru's muffled voice through the door. Usagi stepped carefully to the door, took a breath, and then turned the knob, pulling it open quickly. Mamoru was visibly stunned as he took in the tiny blond standing before him. "Usagi?" he whispered. "You're..." he stuttered as he backed away slowly. But in one quick motion, he swept her into his arms and carried her back to the couch. "You've popped your bandages and you're bleeding again, you baka!"

Usagi watched in silence as Mamoru applied new butterfly closures to her wound, applied antibiotic ointment, and wrapped her leg with gauze bandages. He was obviously surprised, but aside from that, he hadn't reacted at all the way she had expected him to. Where were the disgust and sarcasm she was used to? Sure he had called her baka, but he said it so softly, almost like an endearment.

When the bandage was secure, Mamoru walked silently to his kitchen, got a plastic bag, and then to his bathroom. He returned with her soggy fuku and handed her the bag. "It's late; you should be getting home," he said in a monotone voice. Usagi only nodded so he helped her to her feet. "I suppose you want me to call your beloved Tuxedo Kamen to escort you home?" he asked, his voice a mix of sadness and anger.

Usagi only looked up at Mamoru, confusion in her eyes. Here was the sarcasm she was so used to. She wanted to ask for Tuxedo Kamen, but something in his voice and his expression made her shake her head. "You've taken such good care of me tonight, Mamoru," she whispered. Taking a step toward him, her expression changed to one of pain. "But I don't think I can walk that far."

"You really want me?" asked Mamoru softly, looking deep into Usagi's eyes.

She nodded and stepped forward into his arms. "I never gave you a chance before. But you're the one holding me. You've always been here for me. The real me. Tuxedo Mask has never even met the real me."

"Usako," he breathed softly into her hair, then settled her softly on the couch. A moment later, Usagi was looking up at Tuxedo Kamen. He went to the couch and lifted the cape that had been wrapped around her a short time earlier. After fastening it to his shoulders, he lifted her to her feet, placed a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to meet his gaze. "Pleased to make your acquaintance my lady. Now, how about a lift home?"

Tuxedo Kamen carefully lifted Usagi into his arms and settled her against his chest before making his way to the sliding door. She relaxed into his embrace and sighed contentedly. He was leaping through the air now, carrying her safely towards her home, but what he heard made his heart soar. "Mamo-chan."


End file.
